Combination jigsaw puzzle and bingo game apparatus



United States Patent 282,990 8/1883 Johnson 1,284,513 2,506,184

Inventor James N. Ashley Nashville, Tennessee Appl. No. 692,497 Filed Dec. 21, 1967 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Assignee Kusu, Inc.

Nashville, Tennessee a corporation of Kentucky COMBINATION JIGSAW PUZZLE AND BINGO GAME APPARATUS 13 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl

Int. Cl.

Field of Search References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1918 West 5/1950 Twining 2,886,324 5/1959 Cowan 273/157 1,276,344 8/1918 Gilman... 273/157UX 1,290,761 1/1919 Lester 273/157 2,199,499 5/1940 Kreitler 273/157UX 2,373,258 4/1945 Olsen 273/157UX 3,010,723 11/1961 MOSS 273/157 FOREIGN PATENTS 326,402 9/1920 Germany 273/135 Primary Examiner- Delbert B. Lowe AttorneyRaymond N. Matson ABSTRACT: A game apparatus comprising a plurality of groups of numbered playing pieces, in which the playing pieces of the groups of playing pieces have different interfitting contours, are not interchangeable, and are used in combination with a chance device which is keyed to all of the different numbers and also includes means for randomly selecting one thereof to indicate the order in which the puzzle pieces will be placed in interfitting relationship to complete a puzzle The chance device bears at least one number which is not applied to any piece in at least one group, and at least one number is common to pieces in each of at least two groups.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 3,542,368

' INVENTOR, JAMES IV. ASHLEY BY @mm/ his PATENT AGENT Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet of 2 7 FIG.7

INVENTOR JAMES N. ASHLEY his PATENT-AGENT zle game requirement of properly associating the elephant puzzle of FIG. I;

. 1 COMBINATION JIGSAW PUZZLE AND BINGO GAME APPARATUS I SPECIFICATION render them complementary parts of thewholei puzzle usually -reside in their contours or-a part thereof which enables their interfitting with each other in only one possible combinatiom.

usually to properly complete the puzzle. However. the complementary characteristic of each puzzle or playing piece may take any of a number of forms in addition to the contour of the playing piece or in lieu thereof. For example, the pieces may be identical in contour and the complementary characteristic of each in accordance with which they can only be properly assembled as a completed puzzle may be: a picture. a portion thereof, a color, a group of colors, a predominating color of a group, a letter, a number, and/or any combination thereof.

The game of Bingo is also well known and comprises a plurality of playing cards having groups of numbers printed thereon and arranged in'three subgroups or rows of five numbers disposed horizontally, vertically and diagonally. A chance device, usually consisting of a container having a plurality of markers each bearing one of the numbers on the cards, is'provided and a marker is periodically selected at random from the container. blank markers are placed by the players on the randomly selected numbers when such appear on their playing cards and the first player to cover any one of the three subgroups of numbers on his card is declared the winner.

The main object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved game apparatus which will combine the jigsaw puzthe complementary characteristics of the playing pieces with the random selection thereof as in the manner that numbers to be covered by blank markers are selected in the game ofBingo.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a 'novel game for one or more players in which a complementary group of similar playing pieces, each having a different number, is provided for each player and used in combination with a chance device which is keyed to all of the different numbers of the playing pieces and includes means for periodically, as desired and randomly, selecting one thereof to indicate the order in which the pieces of the players will be placed in complementary relationship to complete the group of which they are a part.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a combination jigsaw puzzle and Bingo game in which both the puzzle and its pieces may be of any desired outline or shape, round, square, etc, and including a chance device keyed to and employed to identify the 'puzzle pieces all of which bear different identification numbers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the followingdescription.

In the drawings I have shown several embodiments of the invention. In these showings:

FIG. I is atop plan view of a plurality ofgroups of assembled jigsaw puzzle pieces which forexarnple only are shown as animal f gures, and a chance device which may be of any desired type and 'is shown. in the form of a simple spinner which is keyed to each of the puzzle pieces in the several groups;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the complementary pieces of FIG. Sis a transverse sec 'o'nal view thereof taken on the li'ne33 of FIG .2; v

FIGS. 4, 5,ando are bottom plan views of the complementary pieces of the camel, bear, and lion puzzles of FIG. 1', and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are bottom plan views of complementary jigsaw puzzle pieces assembled in the forms of a circle and of a square, respectively.

Referring to FIG. I ofthe drawings, the invention comprises a plurality of groups of assembled jigsaw pieces 26, 27, 28, and 29 which, by way of example only, form respectively the outlines of an elephant, a camel, a bear and a lion, and a chance device 30 which is keyed, as will be explained, to the different numbers of the groups of puzzle pieces as shown.

By way of example only, the different complementary characteristic of each of the puzzle pieces resides in its contour or a portion thereof, which enables it to be assembled with the rest of the puzzle pieces of the same group in abutting complementary relationship to complete the jigsaw puzzle in question. Each of the illustrated puzzle groups 26, 27, 28, and 29 comprises seven pieces and each of the differently characterized pieces is keyed to the chance device 30 by a key number, the key numbers running from I to 22.

This keying system is such that each of the puzzle groups has a key number on one of its pieces identical to at least one of the puzzle piece key numbers of another group so that, during play. at least two players may have the same key number of one of their pieces selected by the chance device 30 to be assembled during play.

The key numbers of each of the puzzles appear on the bottoms or backs of the puzzle pieces and it will be seen that the key number 1 appearing on an elephant jigsaw puzzle piece also appears on a lion piece (FIG. 6), that the key number 6 (FIG. 4) of the camel appears on one of the pieces of the bear (FIG. 5), and that the key number 17 (FIG. 5) of the bear also appears on the lion (FIG. 6). A similar duplication appears in key number 18 as shown on pieces 32 and 34, respectively, of the circle puzzle of FIG. 7 and of the square puzzle of FIG. 8.

The chance device 30, which may take any of a number of the desired forms and is illustrated as a simple spinner-type number selector, comprises a base 36 having an annular portion 38 which embodies (preferably not in numerical order) the key numbers from I to 22 of the puzzle pieces, and an indicating arrow 40 centrally and rotatably mounted on the base 36 so as to indicate one of the key numbers when spun and allowed to come to rest (key number 01 as shown in FIG. I).

In play, each of the players inverts his seven jigsaw puzzle pieces on any suitable flat surface so that the key numbers are visible (as of course are the differing complementary characteristics of the pieces, i.e., their contours). One of the players (or the players in turn) spins the arrow 40 of the chance device which indicates one of the key numbers when the arrow comes to rest. The player or players having a puzzle piece bearing the key number so indicated arranges it right side up in front of him. As the selection of key numbers progresses upon each spin of the arrow40, the player must properly associate the complementary characteristic of his puzzle piece with those of his previously selected pieces so as to ultimately complete his jigsaw puzzle. The first player to complete his puzzle is adjudged the winner and such win, of course, depends upon the luck involved in using the chance device 30 and the players skill in properly arranginghis puzzle pieces, as selected, in complementary, abutting relationship.

It will be appreciated that a young player, as in the case of a child, will have a greater difficulty in arranging his selected puzzle pieces in complementary fashion, particularly where the completed puzzle does not have an easily recognizable outline such as the animals disclosed herein. This is easily remedied so as to make the game enjoyable to young as well as old by providing supplementary characteristics or identifying means 44 in the form ofa tray (the elephant and bear portion, FIG. 'I) having a flatpuzzle piece receiving recess 46 in the configuration of, and hence complementary to, the jigsaw puzzle to be completed.

In the case of very young players, further supplementary characteristics or identifying means 48 in the form of puzzle piece outline lines (right half of uncompleted bear puzzle of mented by printing the key numbers of the puzzle pieces on the base 50 of the tray recess 46 as shown. Obviously, when a flat surface for the assembly of the puzzles is not available, a flat rectangular or other shape base 52 (lion puzzle, FIG. 1) may be provided for each puzzle and, if desired, such may be provided with the outline lines 48 just described without the recess 46.

The puzzle piece groups 26, 27, 28, and 29, the chance device 30 including its base 36 and spinner 40, the trays 44 and the playing base 52 may all be readily and economically formed'of any desired material such as plastic, cardboard,

metal, etc., and the key numbers (1-22) of the puzzle pieces I and of the chance device may be stamped or embossed thereon or imprinted therein in any well known manner. As illustrate'd in FIG. 3, each of the puzzle pieces is preferably formed of an upper or top flat surface 54 having a downwardly projecting peripheral supporting border 56 within which, on

the thus-recessed bottom surface, the key number of the puzzle piece is placed.

It is now believed to be readily apparent that the novel combination jigsaw puzzle and Bingo game apparatus of the present. invention is susceptible of many variations as to the shape or configuration of the completed puzzles, as to the complementary pieces comprising each puzzle, and as to the chance device for selecting the puzzle pieces keyed thereto.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples thereof and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to.

l claim:

1. A game apparatus for a group of players comprising, in combination, a group of differently numbered playing pieces for each player; each of the different playing pieces of each group having different contours interfitting with the contours of the other pieces of that group and being such as to preclude interchangeability with the pieces of the other groups; and a chance device displaying all of the different numbers of each group of playing pieces and including at least one number that does not appear on any piece of at least one of said groups of playing pieces, and operable to select one of said numbers.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the assembled pieces ofa group comprise an irregular figure.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said irregular figure comprises an animal.

4. The combination recited in claim 1; and means for in- .dicating the interfitting positions of each group of playing pieces,

5. The combination recited in claim 4 comprising a support for said playing pieces. said indicating means being disposed on said support 6. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein said indicating means comprises an outline of the assembled group of pieces.

7. The combination recited in claim 6 wherein said outline comprises a recess in said support.

8. The combination recited in claim 6 wherein said outline includes lines outlining each of the playing pieces.

9. The combination recited in claim 7 wherein said recess includes lines outlining each of the playing pieces.

10. The combination recited in claim 8 wherein said numbers are disposed within the outlines formed by said lines.

11. The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said numbers are disposed within the outlines formed by said lines.

12. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said playing pieces are the interfitting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

13. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the playing pieces of one group has a number identical with that ofa playing piece of another group. 

